What is Horizontal Directional Drilling?
Horizontal directional drilling is a steerable trenchless method that involves drilling a pilot bore along a predetermined path underground, then enlarging the bore and pulling back the product pipe or cable in a single operation. It eliminates the need for open trenching through roads, driveways, waterways, or protected areas — saving time, reducing reinstatement costs, and minimising disruption to traffic and communities.
Applications
PipeForce uses HDD for a wide range of infrastructure installations including water main crossings beneath roads, rivers, and rail corridors, wastewater rising main installations in sensitive areas, power cable and conduit installation under existing infrastructure, fibre optic and telecommunications conduit installation, and gas pipeline crossings. Our directional drilling capability handles PE pipe installations from 63mm through to 315mm diameter, with bore lengths suited to typical civil infrastructure crossings.
Why Choose Trenchless?
Traditional open-cut trenching through roads requires traffic management, pavement removal, excavation, pipe laying, backfill, compaction, and road reinstatement — all of which takes time and money. Directional drilling eliminates most of these steps. The result is faster installation, less disruption to road users, lower reinstatement costs, reduced environmental impact, and the ability to cross obstacles that open trenching cannot — like rivers, wetlands, and rail corridors.
Our Approach
Every HDD shot is planned using utility location data, geotechnical information, and engineering design to determine the optimal bore path. PipeForce crews use electronic tracking and guidance systems to monitor drill head position, depth, and alignment throughout the bore — ensuring the pipe arrives exactly where it needs to be.
Regions We Serve
We provide directional drilling services across Waikato, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Northland.